Mobile sites and mobile apps may command most of the sex appeal when it comes to mobile marketing, but David Geipel, who will speak at Internet Retailer’s Mobile Commerce Forum 2011, plans to show attendees why text messaging is vital to online retailers’ marketing strategies.

Geipel, co-founder and chief operating officer of mobile technology and services firm QWASI Inc., will speak during the conference’s Oct. 10 Mobile Marketing workshop in a session entitled “Text message marketing: New tricks for the old workhorse of m-commerce.” Geipel says he will show attendees how to implement a text message marketing program. “In the session, we plan to show case studies, campaign ideas and new ways of engaging customers through SMS (short messaging service texts),” he says. “It’s going to be interactive as well, so attendees should bring their cell phones.”

While retailers and marketers spend ample time developing mobile apps and sites, Geipel says text messaging is the workhorse of mobile marketing, and can work to boost the profile of apps and sites. “Text messages are direct, conversational and interactive, something that is not always true about other forms of mobile engagement,” he says. “As brands deploy apps and mobile web sites, SMS becomes even more important to drive customers back to the apps or newly designed and updated mobile web sites.”

Every retailer faces the decision about how to balance various parts of a mobile marketing strategy, he says. But every mobile marketing plan needs to include text messaging. “SMS is the lowest common denominator to any strategy, and it cannot be ignored,” Geipel says.

Internet Retailer’s editors asked Geipel to speak because of his ample experience in e-commerce and m-commerce. Prior to his work at QWASI, he held a variety of positions at e-retailer QVC, including international specialist and Internet marketing manager. He also co-founded mobile application and technology company CellSigns in 2004.